diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 646c7aab..0e649fa7 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -117,5 +117,9 @@ asyncio_mode = "auto"
 [tool.mypy]
 
 [[tool.mypy.overrides]]
-module = "pandas.*"
+module = [
+    "pandas.*",
+    "neo4j._codec.packstream._rust",
+    "neo4j._codec.packstream._rust.*",
+]
 ignore_missing_imports = true
diff --git a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_common.py b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_common.py
index 84403de7..30b97a0d 100644
--- a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_common.py
+++ b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_common.py
@@ -16,29 +16,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 
-class Structure:
-
-    def __init__(self, tag, *fields):
-        self.tag = tag
-        self.fields = list(fields)
-
-    def __repr__(self):
-        return "Structure[0x%02X](%s)" % (ord(self.tag), ", ".join(map(repr, self.fields)))
-
-    def __eq__(self, other):
-        try:
-            return self.tag == other.tag and self.fields == other.fields
-        except AttributeError:
-            return False
-
-    def __ne__(self, other):
-        return not self.__eq__(other)
-
-    def __len__(self):
-        return len(self.fields)
-
-    def __getitem__(self, key):
-        return self.fields[key]
-
-    def __setitem__(self, key, value):
-        self.fields[key] = value
+try:
+    from ._rust import Structure
+except ImportError:
+    from ._python import Structure
diff --git a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_python/__init__.py b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_python/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ba0188b0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_python/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+# Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
+# Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
+#
+# This file is part of Neo4j.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+
+from ._common import Structure
+
+
+__all__ = [
+    "Structure",
+]
diff --git a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_python/_common.py b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_python/_common.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0bca00cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/_python/_common.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
+# Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
+#
+# This file is part of Neo4j.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+
+class Structure:
+
+    def __init__(self, tag, *fields):
+        self.tag = tag
+        self.fields = list(fields)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return "Structure[0x%02X](%s)" % (
+            ord(self.tag), ", ".join(map(repr, self.fields))
+        )
+
+    def __eq__(self, other):
+        try:
+            return self.tag == other.tag and self.fields == other.fields
+        except AttributeError:
+            return False
+
+    def __ne__(self, other):
+        return not self.__eq__(other)
+
+    def __len__(self):
+        return len(self.fields)
+
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        return self.fields[key]
+
+    def __setitem__(self, key, value):
+        self.fields[key] = value
diff --git a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/__init__.py b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/__init__.py
index 360cd25b..c28f069b 100644
--- a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/__init__.py
+++ b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/__init__.py
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 
-import typing as t
 from codecs import decode
 from contextlib import contextmanager
 from struct import (
@@ -24,38 +23,19 @@
     unpack as struct_unpack,
 )
 
-from ...._optional_deps import (
-    np,
-    pd,
-)
 from ...hydration import DehydrationHooks
 from .._common import Structure
+from .types import *
 
 
-NONE_VALUES: t.Tuple = (None,)
-TRUE_VALUES: t.Tuple = (True,)
-FALSE_VALUES: t.Tuple = (False,)
-INT_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (int,)
-FLOAT_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (float,)
-# we can't put tuple here because spatial types subclass tuple,
-# and we don't want to treat them as sequences
-SEQUENCE_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (list,)
-MAPPING_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (dict,)
-BYTES_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (bytes, bytearray)
-
-
-if np is not None:
-    TRUE_VALUES = (*TRUE_VALUES, np.bool_(True))
-    FALSE_VALUES = (*FALSE_VALUES, np.bool_(False))
-    INT_TYPES = (*INT_TYPES, np.integer)
-    FLOAT_TYPES = (*FLOAT_TYPES, np.floating)
-    SEQUENCE_TYPES = (*SEQUENCE_TYPES, np.ndarray)
-
-if pd is not None:
-    NONE_VALUES = (*NONE_VALUES, pd.NA)
-    SEQUENCE_TYPES = (*SEQUENCE_TYPES, pd.Series, pd.Categorical,
-                      pd.core.arrays.ExtensionArray)
-    MAPPING_TYPES = (*MAPPING_TYPES, pd.DataFrame)
+try:
+    from .._rust.v1 import (
+        pack as _rust_pack,
+        unpack as _rust_unpack,
+    )
+except ImportError:
+    _rust_pack = None
+    _rust_unpack = None
 
 
 PACKED_UINT_8 = [struct_pack(">B", value) for value in range(0x100)]
@@ -74,12 +54,17 @@ def __init__(self, stream):
         self.stream = stream
         self._write = self.stream.write
 
-    def _pack_raw(self, data):
-        self._write(data)
-
     def pack(self, data, dehydration_hooks=None):
-        self._pack(data,
-                   dehydration_hooks=self._inject_hooks(dehydration_hooks))
+        dehydration_hooks = self._inject_hooks(dehydration_hooks)
+        self._pack(data, dehydration_hooks=dehydration_hooks)
+
+    if _rust_pack:
+        def _pack(self, data, dehydration_hooks=None):
+            data = _rust_pack(data, dehydration_hooks)
+            self._write(data)
+    else:
+        def _pack(self, data, dehydration_hooks=None):
+            self._py_pack(data, dehydration_hooks)
 
     @classmethod
     def _inject_hooks(cls, dehydration_hooks=None):
@@ -93,8 +78,7 @@ def _inject_hooks(cls, dehydration_hooks=None):
             subtypes={}
         )
 
-
-    def _pack(self, value, dehydration_hooks=None):
+    def _py_pack(self, value, dehydration_hooks=None):
         write = self._write
 
         # None
@@ -136,18 +120,18 @@ def _pack(self, value, dehydration_hooks=None):
         elif isinstance(value, str):
             encoded = value.encode("utf-8")
             self._pack_string_header(len(encoded))
-            self._pack_raw(encoded)
+            self._write(encoded)
 
         # Bytes
         elif isinstance(value, BYTES_TYPES):
             self._pack_bytes_header(len(value))
-            self._pack_raw(value)
+            self._write(value)
 
         # List
         elif isinstance(value, SEQUENCE_TYPES):
             self._pack_list_header(len(value))
             for item in value:
-                self._pack(item, dehydration_hooks)
+                self._py_pack(item, dehydration_hooks)
 
         # Map
         elif isinstance(value, MAPPING_TYPES):
@@ -157,8 +141,8 @@ def _pack(self, value, dehydration_hooks=None):
                     raise TypeError(
                         "Map keys must be strings, not {}".format(type(key))
                     )
-                self._pack(key, dehydration_hooks)
-                self._pack(item, dehydration_hooks)
+                self._py_pack(key, dehydration_hooks)
+                self._py_pack(item, dehydration_hooks)
 
         # Structure
         elif isinstance(value, Structure):
@@ -169,7 +153,7 @@ def _pack(self, value, dehydration_hooks=None):
             if dehydration_hooks:
                 transformer = dehydration_hooks.get_transformer(value)
                 if transformer is not None:
-                    self._pack(transformer(value), dehydration_hooks)
+                    self._py_pack(transformer(value), dehydration_hooks)
                     return
 
             raise ValueError("Values of type %s are not supported" % type(value))
@@ -298,11 +282,16 @@ def read(self, n=1):
     def read_u8(self):
         return self.unpackable.read_u8()
 
-    def unpack(self, hydration_hooks=None):
-        value = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
-        if hydration_hooks and type(value) in hydration_hooks:
-            return hydration_hooks[type(value)](value)
-        return value
+    if _rust_unpack:
+        def unpack(self, hydration_hooks=None):
+            value, i = _rust_unpack(
+                self.unpackable.data, self.unpackable.p, hydration_hooks
+            )
+            self.unpackable.p = i
+            return value
+    else:
+        def unpack(self, hydration_hooks=None):
+            return self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
 
     def _unpack(self, hydration_hooks=None):
         marker = self.read_u8()
@@ -384,8 +373,13 @@ def _unpack(self, hydration_hooks=None):
                 size, tag = self._unpack_structure_header(marker)
                 value = Structure(tag, *([None] * size))
                 for i in range(len(value)):
-                    value[i] = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
-                return value
+                    value[i] = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                if not hydration_hooks:
+                    return value
+                hydration_hook = hydration_hooks.get(type(value))
+                if not hydration_hook:
+                    return value
+                return hydration_hook(value)
 
             else:
                 raise ValueError("Unknown PackStream marker %02X" % marker)
@@ -397,22 +391,22 @@ def _unpack_list_items(self, marker, hydration_hooks=None):
             if size == 0:
                 return
             elif size == 1:
-                yield self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                yield self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
             else:
                 for _ in range(size):
-                    yield self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                    yield self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
         elif marker == 0xD4:  # LIST_8:
             size, = struct_unpack(">B", self.read(1))
             for _ in range(size):
-                yield self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                yield self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
         elif marker == 0xD5:  # LIST_16:
             size, = struct_unpack(">H", self.read(2))
             for _ in range(size):
-                yield self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                yield self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
         elif marker == 0xD6:  # LIST_32:
             size, = struct_unpack(">I", self.read(4))
             for _ in range(size):
-                yield self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                yield self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
         else:
             return
 
@@ -426,29 +420,29 @@ def _unpack_map(self, marker, hydration_hooks=None):
             size = marker & 0x0F
             value = {}
             for _ in range(size):
-                key = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
-                value[key] = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                key = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                value[key] = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
             return value
         elif marker == 0xD8:  # MAP_8:
             size, = struct_unpack(">B", self.read(1))
             value = {}
             for _ in range(size):
-                key = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
-                value[key] = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                key = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                value[key] = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
             return value
         elif marker == 0xD9:  # MAP_16:
             size, = struct_unpack(">H", self.read(2))
             value = {}
             for _ in range(size):
-                key = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
-                value[key] = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                key = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                value[key] = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
             return value
         elif marker == 0xDA:  # MAP_32:
             size, = struct_unpack(">I", self.read(4))
             value = {}
             for _ in range(size):
-                key = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
-                value[key] = self.unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                key = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
+                value[key] = self._unpack(hydration_hooks=hydration_hooks)
             return value
         else:
             return None
diff --git a/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/types.py b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/types.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..591b8eba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/neo4j/_codec/packstream/v1/types.py
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+# Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
+# Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
+#
+# This file is part of Neo4j.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+
+import typing as t
+
+from ...._optional_deps import (
+    np,
+    pd,
+)
+
+
+NONE_VALUES: t.Tuple = (None,)
+TRUE_VALUES: t.Tuple = (True,)
+FALSE_VALUES: t.Tuple = (False,)
+INT_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (int,)
+FLOAT_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (float,)
+# we can't put tuple here because spatial types subclass tuple,
+# and we don't want to treat them as sequences
+SEQUENCE_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (list,)
+MAPPING_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (dict,)
+BYTES_TYPES: t.Tuple[t.Type, ...] = (bytes, bytearray)
+
+
+if np is not None:
+    TRUE_VALUES = (*TRUE_VALUES, np.bool_(True))
+    FALSE_VALUES = (*FALSE_VALUES, np.bool_(False))
+    INT_TYPES = (*INT_TYPES, np.integer)
+    FLOAT_TYPES = (*FLOAT_TYPES, np.floating)
+    SEQUENCE_TYPES = (*SEQUENCE_TYPES, np.ndarray)
+
+if pd is not None:
+    NONE_VALUES = (*NONE_VALUES, pd.NA)
+    SEQUENCE_TYPES = (*SEQUENCE_TYPES, pd.Series, pd.Categorical,
+                      pd.core.arrays.ExtensionArray)
+    MAPPING_TYPES = (*MAPPING_TYPES, pd.DataFrame)
+
+
+__all__ = [
+    "NONE_VALUES",
+    "TRUE_VALUES",
+    "FALSE_VALUES",
+    "INT_TYPES",
+    "FLOAT_TYPES",
+    "SEQUENCE_TYPES",
+    "MAPPING_TYPES",
+    "BYTES_TYPES",
+]
diff --git a/testkit/Dockerfile b/testkit/Dockerfile
index e407b453..a5c17e94 100644
--- a/testkit/Dockerfile
+++ b/testkit/Dockerfile
@@ -67,4 +67,4 @@ RUN apt update && \
     wget https://apache.jfrog.io/artifactory/arrow/${distro_name}/apache-arrow-apt-source-latest-${code_name}.deb && \
     apt install -y -V ./apache-arrow-apt-source-latest-${code_name}.deb && \
     apt update && \
-    apt install -y -V libarrow-dev # For C++ \
+    apt install -y -V libarrow-dev # For C++
diff --git a/testkit/_common.py b/testkit/_common.py
index 76ad479f..2d93e635 100644
--- a/testkit/_common.py
+++ b/testkit/_common.py
@@ -1,3 +1,21 @@
+# Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
+# Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
+#
+# This file is part of Neo4j.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+
 import os
 import re
 import subprocess
diff --git a/testkit/backend.py b/testkit/backend.py
index 702ea8a5..59b4690e 100644
--- a/testkit/backend.py
+++ b/testkit/backend.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
 # Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
 #
diff --git a/testkit/build.py b/testkit/build.py
index 3ac90a2f..b13ee0d6 100644
--- a/testkit/build.py
+++ b/testkit/build.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
 # Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
 #
diff --git a/testkit/integration.py b/testkit/integration.py
index edb08bd7..67dd596d 100644
--- a/testkit/integration.py
+++ b/testkit/integration.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
 # Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
 #
diff --git a/testkit/stress.py b/testkit/stress.py
index 2b4fdc57..3828fe34 100644
--- a/testkit/stress.py
+++ b/testkit/stress.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
 # Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
 #
diff --git a/testkit/unittests.py b/testkit/unittests.py
index 0b714d3d..4cd014b7 100644
--- a/testkit/unittests.py
+++ b/testkit/unittests.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-#!/usr/bin/env python
-
 # Copyright (c) "Neo4j"
 # Neo4j Sweden AB [https://neo4j.com]
 #
diff --git a/testkitbackend/_async/backend.py b/testkitbackend/_async/backend.py
index 89d35578..2d4a7cb7 100644
--- a/testkitbackend/_async/backend.py
+++ b/testkitbackend/_async/backend.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 )
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import neo4j
 from neo4j._exceptions import BoltError
 from neo4j.exceptions import (
     DriverError,
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@
 
 
 TESTKIT_BACKEND_PATH = Path(__file__).absolute().resolve().parents[1]
-DRIVER_PATH = TESTKIT_BACKEND_PATH.parent / "src" / "neo4j"
+DRIVER_PATH = Path(neo4j.__path__[0]).absolute().resolve()
 
 
 class AsyncBackend:
diff --git a/testkitbackend/_sync/backend.py b/testkitbackend/_sync/backend.py
index a38aa1e0..0e88a0fa 100644
--- a/testkitbackend/_sync/backend.py
+++ b/testkitbackend/_sync/backend.py
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 )
 from pathlib import Path
 
+import neo4j
 from neo4j._exceptions import BoltError
 from neo4j.exceptions import (
     DriverError,
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@
 
 
 TESTKIT_BACKEND_PATH = Path(__file__).absolute().resolve().parents[1]
-DRIVER_PATH = TESTKIT_BACKEND_PATH.parent / "src" / "neo4j"
+DRIVER_PATH = Path(neo4j.__path__[0]).absolute().resolve()
 
 
 class Backend:
diff --git a/tests/unit/common/codec/packstream/v1/test_packstream.py b/tests/unit/common/codec/packstream/v1/test_packstream.py
index 7e5bd493..a649755a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/common/codec/packstream/v1/test_packstream.py
+++ b/tests/unit/common/codec/packstream/v1/test_packstream.py
@@ -52,11 +52,13 @@ def unpacker_with_buffer():
     unpackable_buffer = Unpacker.new_unpackable_buffer()
     return Unpacker(unpackable_buffer), unpackable_buffer
 
+
 def test_packable_buffer(packer_with_buffer):
     packer, packable_buffer = packer_with_buffer
     assert isinstance(packable_buffer, PackableBuffer)
     assert packable_buffer is packer.stream
 
+
 def test_unpackable_buffer(unpacker_with_buffer):
     unpacker, unpackable_buffer = unpacker_with_buffer
     assert isinstance(unpackable_buffer, UnpackableBuffer)
@@ -122,7 +124,6 @@ def np_float_overflow_as_error(request):
     np.seterr(**old_err)
 
 
-
 @pytest.fixture(params=(
     int,
     np.int8, np.int16, np.int32, np.int64, np.longlong,
@@ -547,7 +548,7 @@ def test_map_key_type(self, packer_with_buffer, map_, exc_type):
         # maps must have string keys
         packer, packable_buffer = packer_with_buffer
         with pytest.raises(exc_type, match="strings"):
-            packer._pack(map_)
+            packer._py_pack(map_)
 
     def test_illegal_signature(self, assert_packable):
         with pytest.raises(ValueError):